# red trillium (*Trillium erectum*) The red trillium is a beautiful flower that blooms in spring. It has three dark red petals and grows in shady forests, making it a special sight to see! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 55 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Purple trillium, Wake-robin ![red trillium](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trillium_erectum.jpeg&width=800) Photo: The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trillium_erectum.jpeg) ## Appearance The red trillium has three striking, deep reddish-purple petals that stand above three broad, diamond-shaped leaves arranged in a single whorl. Its unique 'threes' pattern makes it easily distinguishable from other forest floor plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Melanthiaceae - **Genus:** Trillium ## Interesting facts - Each plant grows from an underground root, allowing it to live for decades! - It takes years for a young trillium to bloom for the first time! - Red trilliums can surprise you with rare white or yellow flowers! - Some call it 'stinking Benjamin' due to its foul scent, attracting flies! ## Special abilities - **Smelly Attraction:** Red trillium flowers release a foul odor to attract flies and beetles, which are vital for its pollination. - **Ant Courier Service:** Its seeds have a fatty coating that ants love, helping them carry and plant seeds in new locations. - **Perennial Persistence:** This plant has a long-living underground root (rhizome) that allows it to reappear each spring. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-40 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Green Bottle Fly (*Lucilia sericata*) — Attracted by flower scent - **Depends on:** Conehead Ant (*Aphaenogaster picea*) — Disperses its seeds - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses foliage occasionally ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick flowers; they are best enjoyed in nature! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify red trillium? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is red trillium? 15-40 cm ### How wide does red trillium spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on red trillium? 3-6 cm ### When does red trillium bloom? Spring ### Is red trillium edible? No ### Is red trillium toxic? Mild ### What is red trillium's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [Chesterfield Gorge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesterfield-gorge) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Chestnut Ridge Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-ridge-park) — New York, US · Park - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Grundy Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grundy-lake-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park - [Long Ridge Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-ridge-village-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see red trillium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-trillium) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Red Trillium: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-trillium)